Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Reactivation of Economy Following Pandemic Restrictions: Discussion
Mr. Neil McDonnell:
The Irish Timesreported extensively on this last Saturday in the context of fruit and vegetable picking. Jennifer O'Connell did a very substantive article in which a number of growers said they could not get anyone over the age of 18. Nobody on the PUP is applying for those jobs. The Deputy can just choose to contradict that and say she does not believe it, and I will say that is fine, but I assume, talking to legislators, that we are interested in addressing a real problem. I will not be simply castigated because I am not-----